Holy Week 2019: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! - Ps. 118

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The last and longest Psalm of the Hallel is Psalm 118. If Psalm 117 is a sweet little praise chorus, Psalm 118 is the hymn with five verses squeezed in between the treble and the bass clef in the hymnal.
'His steadfast love endures forever' is repeated five times...4 of those in the first 4 verses.  And, notice we are repeating the pattern of Ps. 115 here..

Let Israel say,  'His steadfast love endures forever'
Let the house of Aaron say, 'His steadfast love endures forever'
Let those who fear the LORD say, ''His steadfast love endures forever' (v. 2 - 4)

The nation of Israel, the priests and...anyone else who fears the Lord.

Then, we have a revisit to the theme of  Ps. 116...the Lord delivers those who trust him.

And, one little bit that is often considered Messianic:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  (vs. 22 & 23)
(Just for grins, look at Matthew 21:42 to see Jesus quote that very passage...and note that Paul writes in Eph. 2:20 that Jesus is the cornerstone of the household of God).

But it seems a fitting thing to conclude the Hallel...and enter into the Passover ritual:

The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us.  Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!   - vs. 27 - 29

And it is unique this year in that Passover coincides with Good Friday.   As my Jewish friends were settling into their celebration of the Seder, we were commemorating the pronouncement of  'Tetelestai!'... 'It is finished!'